Album, Single and EP Reviews

Revelation Sunday by Steepwater Band

This band has travelled a long and winding musical road. From the Delta to the electrified blues of Chicago, then across the Atlantic to the blues inspired rock of the Stones, Zeppelin and Free before making their way back home through the Texas roadhouses.

They use this rich musical heritage to good effect. They are as equally adept at deep blues as they are at hard rock. With "Slow Train Drag" for example they perfectly capture the rhythms and sounds of the Delta with a full blown slow paced blues number. While with "Baby, You're On Your Own" and its four minutes plus guitar solo they switch effectively, if just a touch frighteningly, into 'monsters of rock' mode that you wonder if perhaps 'Heavy Water' would have been a more apt name for the band.

The title track "Revelation Sunday" blends power and subtlety to create a great piece of rock and is our personal favourite. Having said that, the simpler 'rock and roll sound' of the excellent "Steel Sky" runs it close. And an honourable mention goes to "Dance Me A Number" which has a strangely Tex-Mex, even Spanish, feel to it as a result of some slightly off kilter guitar work.

We have mixed feelings about this one. In some ways it is right up our street. It's loud, it's bluesy and it rocks with a capital R - and O, C and K for that matter. On the other hand some of the guitar solos are a bit on the long side for our tastes. Nevertheless there is no doubting the fact these guys can play, and their natural musical craft and passion gradually wins you over.